Repertoire: The BEST Ravel Mother Goose Ballet

[@jackdolphy8965]

For me this is one your most valuable talks. Thank You!!

[@robinicus1133]

This installment could've also been titled, "Revenge of the Underrated Tam Tam Player."

[@pawdaw]

Absolutely agree about BPO/Boulez - exquisite.

[@michaelirons1609]

Oh, this is incredibly beautiful, as you say. I agree, the Berlin Boulez recording is really magical, as is their Daphnis et Chloe. I also love the Boston Ozawa and agree that those recordings haven't always been given their due. The Penguin Guide once referred to their complete Daphnis et Chloe as like looking at an Ordnance Survey map, very harsh I thought. It is pretty good, though Abbado 's Boston 2nd Suite is even better I think. The Giulini LAPO LP of Debussy La Mer and Ravel Mother Goose Suite and Rapsodie Espagnole was one of the records that really opened my ears to classical music, when I was 16 I think, and to the kaleidoscope of sounds that an orchestra can produce. Been fascinated ever since. Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade followed a year later, so they are all part of that treasure trove of music that lives inside.

[@williamhicks2299]

I agree with you about the Martinon, one of the most magical performances ever captured by a microphone.

[@WWPMei]

It’s impossible to miss the harp in the Martinon recording. The Tam tam is beautiful in the recent François-Xavier Roth recording.

[@MrYoumitube]

This is easily one of my favorite pieces in classical music... I wished they could have extended the Le Jardin another 5 more mins. I liked the Heitink w/ RCO on Philips and Cluytens w/ Paris CO.

[@magikarpolycarp]

Yay! My 2 favorites get mentioned! DG Boulez and Martinon. I love both those recordings so much, I’ve never felt any need to get a 3rd one. But I’m intrigued by the Cluytens version with the Paris Conservatory orchestra. Might have to try it out, and it’s in a super cheap Ravel box set!

[@melissaking6019]

I was not a fan of Mother Goose having only heard the Dutoit recording. Martinon's recording made me a convert. A magical interpretation with glorious sound.

[@c.iuliusbalbus4399]

What about the Abbado recording with the LSO? (Although the tam-tam, and the harp at the end, are somewhat subdued, I think) It seems to me nonetheless a wonderful performance... By the way, I love the Munch bostonian recording of the Suite.

[@saltyfellow]

Hi Dave! Do you advice Martinon and the Chicago symphony? What records if your advice is positive?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Please see my review at ClassicsToday.com.

[@saltyfellow]

@@DavesClassicalGuide great opportunity to became an insider! Mary Christmas Dave! Thank you!!!

[@gillesderais3848]

Your pronunciation of Cluytens à la French is funny, it's a Flemish name (Cluytens was born in Antwerp) and sounds quite different in Dutch. Great review as always, and I'm happy to own the Chicago and Errato boxes from Jean Martinon.

[@barryguerrero7652]

Ditto - I'm a Martinon guy. Remember the Eduado Mata/Dallas "Mother Goose" (RCA)? . . that one certainly had a gong - maybe too much - and lots of harp.

[@alfredolabbe]

Dear Mr. Hurwitz: We are, again, in the same page concerning Ma mère l'Oye! I remember vividly buying the Cluytens/Angel LP at Serenade Records, Washington D.C. in 1974 after listening to a radio broadcast here in Santiago (the horns playing with vibrato being quite a surprise for me then): I learned the piece with that recording, so it is a "first love". And Martinon is, of course, magnificent. What do you think of Monteux with the LSO, on Philips? Thanks again!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Monteux is good but the LSO is not the group it later became.

[@miltalive]

Which does the cat prefer?

[@martinturner2309]

the cat prefers Meosoursky

[@giacomofirpo2477]

Bravo David! Yes, Martinon clearly wins! I've got both Boulez performances of Ma Mère l'Oye, just the same identical that you show in your video review, and I agree with you completely: they are really beautiful performances. And I say this as no-fan of pierre boulez. Anyway, another really good recording of Ravel's magical score (but, frankly, which Ravel's score actually isn't magic?!) In my opinion is also Simon Rattle with Berliner Philharmoniker...impressive and very polished!

[@fcamiola]

My fav version (of the suite) is probably St. Martin/Field/Neville Marriner....too bad its not the full ballet. But it's amazing imo.

[@NealSchultz]

Thoughts on Dutoit/Ravel? Dutoit's Daphnis has been one of my favorites.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

That's the best of it. The rest is mediocre.

[@denbigh51]

Harp and tam tam aside has there ever been a bad recording of this piece -it seems to bring the best in everyone

[@curseofmillhaven1057]

For me Dutoit, Montreal on Decca, and maybe Previn, Pittsburgh on Philips.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I specifically left those out. Previn is just dull despite some beautiful playing, and Dutoit makes a mess of the Fairy Garden with unmarked pauses--very disappointing and prosaic.

[@curseofmillhaven1057]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Fair enough but I still enjoy both - I think the Dutoit was my introduction to the piece (one of my early cd purchases back in the Eighties) and the recording quality has always struck me as excellent.

[@woomichen1378]

Does your neighbor ever complain about the Tam Tam?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No.

[@carteri6296]

Both Previn’s tam-tams are inaudible in this movement which spoils it for me, otherwise Previn’s Pittsburgh performance is very good (for me).

[@seekstruth5968]

Listened to Martinon m.goose. nice. But doesn't have the charm mystery sentimentality of gorgeous interpretation of ozawa Boston.